Adult Disability Payment is tax-free and it's made up of two components:

• daily living
• mobility

You might qualify for one or both parts.

How much you receive would depend on how your illness, disability or condition affects your ability to get around or carry out daily-living tasks. 

Your income or savings are not taken into account (it's not a means tested benefit).

There are two payment rates (2023/24):

• standard award which is £68.10 a week
• enhanced award which is £101.75 a week

Anyone that has a terminal illness will automatically be awarded the daily-living award.

You may qualify for this part if you need support with:

• preparing food

• taking nutrition (eating and drinking)

• managing therapy or monitoring a health condition

• washing and bathing

• managing toilet needs or incontinence

• dressing and undressing

• communicating verbally

• reading and understanding signs, symbols and words

• engaging socially with other people face to face

• making budgeting decisions.
  
  

There are two payment rates for the mobility component (2023/24):

• a standard award which is £26.90 a week 
• an enhanced award which is £71.00 a week.
  
  

If you get an enhanced award for the mobility part, you can apply to lease an accessible vehicle.

Social Security Scotland uses a points scoring system across 12 activities for the daily-living and mobility parts.

Each activity has a list of options. These options are descriptions for different levels of need. One of these options is chosen for each activity based on Social Security Scotland’s understanding of your needs. You then score the points that are linked to that description. You will find out more about this during the application process.

If you're already receiving Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance for adults

You do not need to apply for Adult Disability Payment. You’ll continue to get your Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for adults payments or PIP from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) until you are transferred to Adult Disability Payment.  In the future you’ll receive your payments from Social Security Scotland instead.

This will be a straightforward transfer process and you:

• will be contacted by Social Security Scotland before it happens
• do not need to reapply. 

Social Security Scotland will not reassess your award.

Until you're told that the transfer process is complete, you should continue to follow instructions given by the DWP to maintain your current award.  

Applying for the first time

You'll apply for Adult Disability Payment in two stages. However if you're applying for someone who is terminally ill, there is only one stage to make the process faster.

Online

You can apply online on the mygov.scot website.  

Phone and paper

You can phone Social Security Scotland to start an application.  You can call free on 0800 182 2222 (8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday).

If you're a British Sign Language user, you can use the contactSCOTLAND app to contact Social Security Scotland by video relay.

Social Security Scotland will ask you for some details so they can complete part one of the application for you over the phone.

They will then send you a paper application for part one to complete and return in a prepaid envelope.

If you're applying for someone who is terminally ill, you can complete the whole application over the phone.

You can also get help to apply through one of Social Security Scotland's local delivery teams. You can find out more about these teams here.

For more information on applying, visit mygov.scot or call Social Security Scotland on Freephone: 0800 182 2222 (8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday).

Social Security Scotland's Local Delivery service can help you to apply for Adult Disability Payment. Find out about arranging an appointment with your local delivery service here.

You can also ask someone else to apply for Adult Disability Payment for you if you're unable to apply yourself. This might be: a family member a friend a carer, support worker or someone else who helps you an appointee who is acting on your behalf.

You can also get help from an independent advocate in applying for social security benefits.  Find out more here.

You can find out which benefits you’re entitled to and how much you should be getting by doing an online benefits check, or contact one of our advisers at advice@carersuk.org for help arranging one.

Help with transport costs 

Contact Transport Scotland on 0141 272 7100 or your local authority. You may also be entitled to a Companion Card, allowing someone to travel with you for free. 

Our factsheet

See our factsheet for more detailed information about Child Disability Payment.

If you or the person you care for is already receiving Personal Independence Payment or Disability Living Allowance for adults, you do not need to apply for Adult Disability Payment.

Over time, your award will be moved to Social Security Scotland without you having to do anything.

If you want to apply in a language that’s not English, please contact Social Security Scotland to apply over the phone. 

You can do this in over 100 languages with an interpreter they’ll provide. You can ask for languages such as:

Polish

Arabic

Romania

Urdu

Mandarin.

Social Security Scotland will send you a letter with the decision. This letter is called a notice of determination. They aim to make a decision after getting your completed application and all the information they require.

If you have a terminal illness, Social Security Scotland will aim to make a decision as quickly as possible, in around seven working days.

What the decision letter will tell you

If your application is successful, the letter will tell you:

• which parts of Adult Disability Payment you'll get – daily living, mobility, or both
  
  
• how much you will get for each part.

Social Security Scotland uses a points scoring system across 12 activities for the daily living and mobility parts. Your decision letter will include a list of the points awarded for each of the 12 activities, and explain why you were awarded these points.

If your application is not successful, your decision letter will tell you why. You can ask Social Security Scotland to look at the decision again.  

You can ask Social Security Scotland to look again at what they have decided if you either:

• have had a letter telling you that you're not going to be paid Adult Disability Payment and you think you should
• think the amount of Adult Disability Payment you're going to be paid is wrong

Two options

There are two ways to ask Social Security Scotland to look at their decision on your new application again:

• by calling Social Security Scotland for free on 0800 182 2222 (8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday)
• by completing a paper re-determinations form 

You’ll also get this form with the letter telling you whether you’ll be paid Adult Disability Payment.

Find out more about asking for a decision to be looked at again here.